Crunch's Connolly named Player of the Month

March 1, 2013

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that Syracuse Crunch right wing Brett Connolly has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Month for February.

Connolly played 13 games for the Crunch last month and found the scoresheet in 12 of them, totaling seven goals, eight assists, 15 points and a plus-6 rating to help Syracuse reclaim first place in the East Division.

Connolly began the month with a nine-game scoring streak, including a two-goal effort in the Crunch’s 4-2 win over Adirondack on Feb. 8. He recorded a goal and an assist in a 7-1 win at Binghamton on Feb. 15 and again in a 5-3 decision at Albany on Feb. 18, and assisted on the game-winning goals in each of Syracuse’s last three games – Feb. 23 vs. Springfield, Feb. 24 vs. Connecticut and Feb. 26 at Rochester – as the Crunch finished the month on an eight-game winning streak.

Connolly, a 20-year-old native of Campbell River, B.C., was a first-round draft pick (sixth overall) by Tampa Bay in 2010. He is currently tied for fourth in the AHL in scoring with 49 points (22 goals, 27 assists) in 53 games for Syracuse this season, his second professional campaign. As a rookie in 2011-12, Connolly skated in 68 NHL games with the Lightning, registering four goals and 11 assists. The Canadian Hockey League’s rookie of the year in 2008-09, Connolly won medals with Canada at the World Junior Championships in 2011 (silver) and 2012 (bronze).

In recognition of his achievement, Connolly will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Crunch home game.